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How Is Land Designated a National Reserve?

In the United States, an act of Congress is required to create a national reserve, but state and local authorities manage the land. Protected for their natural resources and historical significance, reserves may permit activities such as hunting and mining. The momentum behind a campaign to officially designate an area of land as a national reserve can come from the general public, local governments and environmentalists.

Parks, Preserves and Reserves
- Large areas of land valued for their natural resources and ecological significance can be designated by the federal government as a national park, a national preserve or a national reserve. While a reserve's daily operations are managed and planned by state agencies, parks and preserves are the responsibility of the federal government's National Parks Service. Activities such as hunting and logging are permitted in both reserves and preserves but strictly prohibited in national parks.
Public Concern
- Interest in establishing a national reserve accumulates over years, arising out of public concern to protect environmental resources threatened by encroaching development. New Jersey's Pineland National Reserve, for example, was established as the nation's first reserve in 1978. The Pinelands gained notoriety when the governor convened an environmental council in response to public outcry sparked by mounting pressure from casino developers and the 1967 book "The Pine Barrens" by celebrated environmental author and activist John McPhee.
Congressional Approval
- Once a council is formed with the governor's approval, it petitions Congress to draft an act declaring the land the panel represents a national reserve. Congress requires that there be demonstrated public interest in protecting the land, its natural resources and other benefits for future generations. Within a specified period of time after congressional approval, the responsible state agency must submit a management proposal for review that follows guidelines codified in 1988 as Public Law 100-696.
State Management
- A governor's council is responsible for drafting the reserve's management plan, and council members are required to include stakeholders such as residents and representatives of local farmers. The plan must address topics including visitor accommodations, threatened plant and animal populations, fire hazards, natural emergencies and regional water quality. After final approval by the U.S. secretary of the Interior, an area of land officially becomes a national reserve and is eligible for federal grants for major construction and infrastructure projects.

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